Blood Curse by Crystal-Rain Love

The Blood Revelation ProphecyVampires, witches, and shifters will band together to stop the darkness from winning until one warrior is born to save the world from Satan's wrath.

When Aria Michaels sets out to find the vampire who took her mother’s life, she’s stunned when she finds Rialto Renaldi, the vampire who has been haunting her dreams, instead. She hadn’t believed he was real, and she knows she should run from Rialto as fast as she can. But who better to help her find her mother’s killer?

Rialto is reluctant to help the mortal woman who has invaded his dreams, even though he’s curious about who she is and why she has this strange connection to him. He isn’t, however, about to satisfy his curiosity. The last time he became involved with a mortal, he ended up destroying her. But he knows that if Aria searches for the killer on her own, she’ll join her mother in death.

Finally, Rialto agrees to help Aria, but the pair soon learns that fate brought them together for a much larger purpose, and fate has every intention of destroying them if they don't fulfill their roles in the Blood Revelation Prophecy.

Can Aria see past the monster to the man beneath, and fulfill the prophecy of the Blood Revelation?

Aria Michaels has dreamed of him for years, and lately, the dreams have become hotter and more compelling. Rialto Renaldi doesn’t believe in the prophecy, and refuses to consider the implications involved in denying the truth. The world is not a pretty place, with demons running rampant and vampires trying to stop the demons. The Blood Revelation says that a vampire and his true mate will have a child that will be able to bring light to the darkness, and save the world. Rialto’s mother believes Rialto is that vampire and that Aria is his destined mate. One big problem with that theory is that Rialto is a vampire…and Aria is a vampire hunter! Can Rialto overcome Aria’s prejudices and show her that not all vampires are evil? Will he be able to resist the addiction he has to Aria’s blood, and keep her safe? Will these two be the salvation the world so desperately needs?

Crystal-Rain Love has built a dark and brooding world, one where evil is determined to win out. Her characters and the dark and brooding atmosphere of this book drew me in. Sometimes I like my books to bring the goose bumps, and this one certainly did that.

Aria is determined to find and destroy the vampire that killed her mother. She is strong and sure that she is following the right path. Rialto is tall, dark and broodingly sexy, everything Aria sees in her dreams. He is also a vampire; one of the monsters Aria believes killed her mother. The conflict in Aria is well depicted here. Although drawn to Rialto, she believes him a monster. She is also confused as to her own true self, until Rialto convinces her she can be who she really is-a strong independent woman who just happens to be of mixed race.

Rialto resists Aria as much as he can, but is drawn to her, and must fight attraction every step of the way, even if it means his death, for he will die without Aria’s blood. The love scenes between Aria and Rialto are explosive, hot enough to ignite ice. When Aria discovers the truth - that vampires aren’t responsible for the murders taking place, she is shocked and a little scared. Especially once she is targeted by the evil stalking the world.

Do these two destined lovers find the happy ever after they so richly deserve? Only after much hardship and trial, and again only after Aria accepts who and what she is. I recommend this for those who want an excellent reading experience, and I look forward to the rest of this series.

RATING EXPLANATION:

1 Star— At this time, we at LASR do not post these reviews. If the book was boring, badly edited, poorly written, had little or no plot, stilted dialogue, and/or unsympathetic characters, we will decline the review.

2 Stars— Not wonderful, but tolerable. There may be some minor editing glitches but not enough to stop you reading. Not a wall-banger, but nothing you'd re-read. This is a book you would borrow from the library - not buy - and never check out again.

3 Stars— Good. Mostly enjoyable. You made it through and didn't consider it a waste of time or money. The story was strong enough or the conflict tight enough, so even when the book faltered, it was able to draw you back in and keep you. There's a chance you'll recommend it to a friend, but it wouldn't go on your keeper shelf.

4 Stars— Very Good. You're glad you were the one who got to review the book. You would probably buy it and would definitely recommend it to your friends. You liked the characters and the plot. The writing style was good and the editing clean.

5 Stars— Great! You would definitely buy this book. You would definitely recommend it to your friends. You really loved the characters and the plot and would consider looking for this authors back list or making her an autobuy. The writing and editing were superb.

LASR Best Book - For a book or story that is truly exceptional. You think about it when you're not reading it. You wonder what happens to the characters when you finish. You would absolutely buy everything else this author had to offer. The highest praise - and reserved for only a few.

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